It’s a big deal when an artist gets a No. 1 hit. It’s even bigger when they visit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 multiple times.
Since its creation in 1955, the Billboard Hot 100 has tracked all the biggest songs in the United States. In the 60-plus years that followed, hundreds of artists found their way to the top of the chart, but only a select few made their way to No. 1 on more than a few occasions. In fact, the group of music arts and artists with more than ten No. 1s is relatively small.
This group includes Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Madonna. Recent additions to this exclusive club include Rihanna, Drake and Taylor Swift. Taylor scored her tenth No. 1 hit on the week ending October 28, 2023, with “Cruel Summer,” four years after it was released on Lover. “Is It Over Now (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault],” one of the bonus tracks from Swift’s rerecorded version of 1989, debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 11, 2023. The move tied her with Houston for 11 No. 1 hits, a number that is likely to expand upon when she completes the Taylor’s Version series and releases her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department in April 2024.
Beyoncé might be close behind. In March 2024, she scored her ninth No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” one of the first two songs released from Renaissance Act II. It tied her with the Bee Gees, Elton John, Katy Perry and Usher, who also have nine chart-topping hits.
Ariana Grande also returned to the top of the charts in 2024, thanks to her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. Lead single “Yes, And?” debuted on the top of the Hot 100, as did another cut from the album, “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love).” Those were her sixth and seventh No. 1 debuts, giving her nine overall chart-topping hits.
With these hits under her belt, Grande blasted ahead of Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, the late George Michael and The Rolling Stones, who all have eight No. 1s.
As those artists try to reach the top of the charts again, check out who currently reign supreme on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Beatles, 20
During their time as a band, the Fab Four – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – have secured twenty No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. Their first came in 1964, with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” That same year, they topped the charts with “She Loves You,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Love Me Do,” “A Hard Day’s Night” and “I Feel Fine.”
Throughout the rest of the 1960s, the band would find their way to the top of the charts with songs like: “Eight Days a Week,” “Ticket to Ride,” “Help!,” “Yesterday,” “We Can Work It Out,” “Paperback Writer,” “Penny Lane,” “All You Need Is Love,” “Hello Goodbye,” “Hey Jude,” “Get Back” and “Come Together.” The band concluded its epic run with two No. 1s in 1970: “Let It Be,” and “The Long and Winding Road”/”For You Blue.”
Out of all The Beatles’ chart-topping hits, “Hey Jude” has the record for most weeks at No. 1, with nine. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” is second with seven, while the rest of their hits vary from one to four weeks at No. 1.
Mariah Carey, 19
Mariah Carey became synonymous with the 1990s just as the decade began. Her first four singles – “Vision of Love,” “Love Takes Time,” “Someday” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry” – all found their way to the top of the Hot 100 chart. She resumed her chart-topping ways with “Emotions” in 1991 and continued her dominance throughout the following years.
Her cover of “I’ll Be There” hit No. 1, as would songs that would d become staples of her career: “Dreamlover,” “Hero,” “Fantasy,” “One Sweet Day” (with Boys II Men), “Always Be My Baby, “Honey,” “My All, and “Heartbreaker” with Jay-Z. In the 2000s, Mariah continued to hit the top of the Hot 100 with “Thank God I Found You” with Joe and 98 Degrees, “We Belong Together,” “Don’t Forget About Us” and “Touch My Body.”
Though Mariah released “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 1994, it hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, breaking several records – including the longest trip to No. 1. It remains the best-selling holiday song by a female artist.
Rihanna, 14
Rihanna achieved her first chart-topping song shortly after she blew up in the mid-2000s. “SOS” reached No. 1 in May 2006 and stayed there for three weeks. From that point on, she kept on racking up the hits. “Umbrella,” featuring Jay-Z, spent seven weeks at No. 1 after reaching the top spot in 2007. RiRi would follow that success up with “Take A Bow,” “Disturbia” and “Live Your Life” (with T.I.) in 2008.
In the early 2010s, Rihanna would return to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “Rude Boy,” “Love The Way You Lie” with Eminem, “What’s My Name” featuring Drake, “Only Girl (In The World),” “S&M” featuring Britney Spears, “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris, “Diamonds,” “The Monster” with Eminem and “Work” featuring Drake. If Rihanna drops her long-awaited ninth album, she will likely add to the total.
Michael Jackson, 13
The King of Pop was a chart-topping success for over two decades until his death in 2009. Strangely enough, his first solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 came when Jackson was 14 years old: “Ben,” a song recorded for the 1972 horror film of the same name.
Seven years later, he would transform from a teen idol into a superstar with “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Jackson began the 1980s with a hit, reaching No. 1 with “Rock With You.” The “King of Pop” would rule the decade with “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Say Say Say” (his duet with Paul McCartney), “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” with Siedah Garrett, “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror” and “Dirty Diana.” Jackson’s final two No. 1 songs would come in 1991 (“Black or White”) and 1995 “You Are Not Alone.”
Drake, 13
Since breaking out in the 2010s, Drake has been all over the Billboard Hot 100. Toronto’s favorite son has also found his way to the top of the charts on over a dozen occasions. His first two hits came with help from Rihanna: “What’s My Name?” in 2010 and “Work” in 2016. After reaching No. 1 again with “One Dance” featuring Wizkid and Kyla, Drake began a solo run of hits: “God’s Plan,” “Nice For What” and “In My Feelings” in 2018; “Toosie Slide” in 2020; “What’s Next” in 2021.
Drake continued his winning ways into the 2020s with “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, “Wait for U” with Future and featuring Tems, “Jimmy Cooks” featuring 21 Savage, “Slime You Out” featuring SZA, and “First Person Shooter,” featuring J. Cole.
Madonna, 12
Madonna began her journey to be The Queen of Pop and the living legend that she is in 1984, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “Like a Virgin.” The song would spend six total weeks at the position, something she wouldn’t top until 1995’s “Take A Bow,” which would go for seven.
After “Like a Virgin,” Madonna would return to the top of the charts with “Crazy for You,” “Live to Tell,” “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Open Your Heart,” “Who’s That Girl” and “Like a Prayer.” She would kick off the 1990s with “Vogue” and continue her success with “Justify My Love,” “This Used to be My Playground” and the aforementioned “Take A Bow.” Madonna would get her 12th Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with “Music” in 2000.
The Supremes, 12
Motown’s finest, The Supremes, have a dozen Billboard Hot 100s. They racked up hits during the 1960s, when the group featured Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Barbara Martin and Cindy Birdsong. These songs include “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name Of Love,” “Back in My Arms Again,” “I Hear a Symphony,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,”” “Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone,” “The Happening,” “Love Child” and “Someday We’ll Be Together” (as Diana Ross & The Supremes).
Whitney Houston, 11
Whitney Houston made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 eleven times over a decade, starting with her first No. 1 in 1985. “Saving All My Love for You” kicked off an impressive run, which included chart-topping hits like “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love of All,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” “All The Man That I Need,” and her cover of “I Will Always Love You” and her final No. 1, “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)”.
Taylor Swift, 11
Taylor Swift became the latest star to get double-digit Hot 100 No. 1s when her “Cruel Summer” (released on 2019’s Lover) went to the top of the charts in 2023, four years after the song was given to Swifties everywhere.
Eleven years earlier, Swift secured her first No. 1 with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” She followed that success by going to No. 1 with “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood” ft. Kendrick Lamar, “Look What You Made Me Do,” “Cardigan,” “Willow,” “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” and “Anti-Hero.” Shortly after “Cruel Summer” topped the charts, Swift scored her 11th hit with “Is It Over Now (Taylor’s Version),” one of the vault tracks from 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Janet Jackson, 10
Michael isn’t the only member of his family with a record number of Hot 100 No.1s. Janet Jackson has ten to her name, having earned her first in 1986 with “When I Think of You.” From there, she found her way to the top of the chart with “Miss You Much,” “Escapade,” “Black Cat,” “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Again,” “Together Again,” “Doesn’t Really Matter” and “All for You.”
Stevie Wonder, 10
Stevie Wonder achieved his first No. 1 hit, “Fingertips Pt. 2,” in 1963. Over the next two decades, he would score nine more No. 1 songs: “Superstition,” “You Are the Sunshine of MY Life,” “You Haven’t Done Nothin,” “I Wish,” “Sir Duke,” “Ebony and Ivory” with Paul McCartney, “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” “Part Time Lover” and “That’s What Friends Are For” (as Dionne & Friends).
